One of our amazing partners in ministry is City on a Hill. Known throughout West Michigan as an affordable, inviting and collaborative space for ministries and nonprofits, City on a Hill helps organizations like Wings of Mercy keep their overhead low by providing excellent office space at a reduced price. The article below appeared in a recent City on a Hill newsletter and was written by a dear family friend of Wings of Mercy. We thought it was certainly worth sharing.
In summer of 2009, my oldest brother, Chris, was diagnosed with a form brain cancer (that had stemmed from his pediatric diagnosis of Neurofibromatosis). I was entering high school at North Muskegon and Chris was starting his second year at Western Michigan University. From the initial diagnosis, Chris was given six months. The tumor was rapidly growing and causing damage in many areas of his body due to its location on the brain stem and cerebellum. With the need for specialized help, my parents were able to connect with a doctor at Duke University in Durham, NC. The next challenge was how do we get there… and our prayer was answered in the form of Wings of Mercy – a ministry located here in City on a Hill. God provided a way for us to attend many doctors’ appointments and work with some of the best doctors in the country to help sustain Chris’ life.
After two 10+ hour surgeries, radiation, chemotherapy and physical therapy, Chris’ life was extended 5.5 more years. Chris left us in March of 2014, but his legacy still lives on. Now I’m able to work alongside Wings of Mercy and work for an amazing organization that supports them. Wings of Mercy provided help and compassion when we were at our weakest. God has brought me full circle. From sitting in the back seat of a Cessna to North Carolina to sitting in an office in Zeeland down the hall from those who had a hand at extending my brother’s life. God is good. When you support City on a Hill – you are doing SO much more, and I hope this story helps bring light and life to the beauty that is City on a Hill.
– Kelli Boetsma, Development Coordinator for City on a Hill
